Race 7 Results and Series Aggregate Status

Attached are results of Race 7 Aug 16 plus the status of the Series and Marie Louise III Consistency status.

Sail Selection decision

With the expectation of 15 knot northerlies below is an indicator of the pre-race wind conditions.

Yesterdays Fawkner Beacon Wind Speed Graph

Bungoona with Avian and Zephyr under tow

Pre start manoeuvres

After the distraction of the bunker barge Zemira motoring through the Classic winter series fleet of 22 starters, Course 10 was the starters call for race 7. A tight fleet with an on the money start was scene along the start line. Another great sight of Classic Yacht racing on Port Phillip was the word from the race committee.

Pre start manoeuvres as seen from Snow Goose looking over the committee boat

Bungoona looking over Sayonara and Mercedes III

Start line action

No recalls was the surprise of the day. ‘Very close with the benefit of doubt” was the call from the Hobsons Bay Yacht club starter, Alistair Hart.

No doubt, the long and close line of starboard starters issuing “starboard” calls closed the starting gate for many of the on port starters.

Clean air at the committee end allowed Marie Louise III to maintain her on starboard speed while Dingo and Snow Goose threw on to port after passing the Committee boat and escaped into clean air. Sayonara threaded her on port way through the starting fleet to clean air and Frances, thank you Martini, and Kingurra made up ground after their on port start delays, Fair Winds showed Mercedes III some muscle and worked her way into a lifting breeze. Avian also escaped into clear air. An on port Ettrick and Zephyr escaped through a gap in the start line and into every wind knock on Port Phillip. Square dinkum the handicapper was told.

On course affairs

After Frances led the fleet at the first turning mark, R4, fleet kite hoisting and gybing action was the scene. Loama on her starboard approach to R4 had Sirocco perform some fast single handed manoeuvres  on her run after rounding R4. Cyan was working hard to figure out ways to escape the mid fleet dirty air.  Fair Winds had a smart kite set after R4 and an even smarter retrieval sometime after passing the RMYS G rounding mark. Boambillee had on board action that didn’t help her close on the early the fleet leaders.

Some extra tight rounding action at RMYS Mark C resulted in Mercedes III doing a penalty turn, not far behind Trim was keeping close to Marie Louise III and Dingo was keeping close tabs on Avian in spite of losing her head sail halyard.

On the first run back to the committee boat lifting conditions around the Gellibrand Breakwater favoured those Classic yachts who carried on after the RMYS C mark.

Scanning across the fleet close race action was everywhere. Akuna was coming off best with her close racing in company with Shamrock and Corio Vertue while Loama worked hard to keep Tandanya busy.

Finish line scenes

The second time around saw all Classic’s playing the wind shifts in the final beat to the  finish line. Martini, racing to her handicap, played her wind shifts to edge ahead of Bungoona.  After a shy kite run and a last minute drop Frances worked her crew hard to stay ahead of Kingurra at the last turning mark and kept this lead by 8 seconds to take out line honours. Congratulations to Frances A finish line fight between Boambillee and Marie Louise III saw what a finish line wind shift can do as Marie Louise III had to concede her lead  on the final approach.

Snow Goose was definitely the sail of the day as she was within 12 seconds to Avian at the line cross and held off Dingo by 40 seconds. Right through the fleet similar after race stories were told in the manner of true fishermen.

The results

Classic cheers went up with the announcement of Frances taking out line honours and bigger cheers went up for George Low bringing home Snow Goose for her first ever Classic win on corrected time.

All up another day where Classic yacht racing was the focus on Port Phillip. The average  elapsed time for the race was 110 minutes.  This average time for Race 7 and the 95 minute average for Race 6 will guide the handicapper for the group start allocations for the final Winter Series Race of 2105.

Race 8 date August 30

Race 8 will be conducted on August 30. The prior date of Sept 6 was set based on ORCV Winter Series racing on August 30. That date is no longer reserved. Without the change there would be only 3 weeks between the 2015 Winter Series and the 2015/2016 Summer Series race 1 on Sept 27.

Race 8  will be a pursuit starting at RMYS and finishing at RYCV Marina. A series of special weather dependent courses will be set up with a target average elapsed time of 95 minutes  for this race.

Notice of Race for the 2015/2016 Summer series and intentions to compete on the 2015 Cup Regatta will issued to the Classic skipper next week.

Regards to all

Peter  Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Handicapper

Results Page

Track of Marie Louise III

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2015 Winter Series Race 7 Documentation

Here we go, attached are the details for the 2015 Winter Series Race 7.

The race will be conducted for the Association by the Hobsons Bay Yacht Club. Alistair Hart will be conducting the race and managing the production of the results from the HBYC Race committee vessel “Privateer”. Keep the VHF open on Channel 73 for pre-race management messages. Current forecast for sea conditions indicates sufficient wind strength for the race committee pennants to fly well and display the selected course number.

Cup Regatta 2015

Your exec. team is now in Cup Regatta production mode.

News of the highest level of support the Cup Regatta has been received from our New Zealand Classic Yacht Association members. The quality of this CYANZ support will endow the CYAA Cup Regatta as the most prestigious Yachting Regatta on Port Phillip.

This year we’re making an extra plug to bring in more Couta Boat Association members into our Regatta racing.

The Royal Motor Yacht Club in Nelson Place will be the venue for our Friday evening, Oct 31, Cup Regatta reception. Already the RMYC are ramping up to welcome the Classic Yacht Association and to show case their magnificent new Club House.

Memo to all: ink the Cup Regatta Reception in your Cup Regatta diary.

The 2015 Cup Regatta Notice of Race and a Notice of Intent to Compete will be issued soon.  26 entries last Cup Regatta. For those Classic Yachts who weren’t able to make the 2014 event, work on clearing out your diary and sorting out the crew for Oct 30 to Nov 2.

Cup Regatta 2014

To help our memories of the 2014 Cup Regatta this is the Classic yacht that raced with the fleet through 40 knot gusts and three consecutive Races in one day.

That’s it from the Handicapper

Regards to all, it’s all go for Sunday

Peter Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Handicapper

Entries and Handicaps (HBYC)

Sailing Instructions (HBYC) V1 12_8

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Results

Attached are the results of Race 6 plus the Series and Marie Louise III Aggregate status. Congratulations to Cameron Dorrough for keeping Bungoona going hard and on course all race long to take out corrected time honours and take home the slab of Tina of Melbourne’s bottled water while podium placing to Kingurra and Cyan for their second and third on corrected time. Line honours went to Kingurra who showed the fleet what a Joubert  Black Swan 43 can do in a stiff breeze.

Congratulations also to Jim Hutchinson and his crew on Dingo who collected the RMYS Tumlaren pennant for best Tum on corrected time.

Pre race action

Cold but sunny conditions with a benign 12 knot northerly bought the Classic fleet over from the Royals and Hobsons Bay Yacht Clubs. Kingurra had a pre race beat up from Brighton, while our members from Royal Melbourne had only to sail out from the St. Kilda breakwater to join the Classic Fleet.

Regulars missing from the fleet for this race was Trim who is undergoing handicapper beating mods and the Tumlaren Snow Goose. A return to Classic racing was seen with the arrival of Mark Chew’s Fair Winds and our latest addition to Classic racing Akuna from the RMYS with Chris Havre on the helm was in the pre start mix.

The race start

To give the fleet a long beat in the prevailing wind direction conditions a reaching start was selected. A first for the classic fleet.  While going for the line the wind strength built to give the fleet a rare mass running start at hull speed. Unfortunately we also had our first DSQ when Zephyr was blown over the line while reaching along it and due to the wind and water noise couldn’t hear the radio recall to return. The start tower sound signals may have been heard down wind but not 100 metres up wind.  Such was the wind at the time. After race reports indicated over 30 knots gusts were a feature at the time. About time the fleet had a decent breeze was the after race comment.

The fleet had some close action on the slightly off beam reach. All Skippers trying to work their Classic out from the lee of adjacent vessels to keep their stern quarter wave at its maximum hull speed location was the feature of this run to the first mark. The signature of a true Classic yacht in full flight. Akuna had some exciting moments with her introduction to classic racing with a tight sail but Chris Havre was on the case with no problems. Tandanya with two up after some mainsheet issues said enough for the day.

The breezy weather beat

The Classic fleet led by Kingurra and then Frances had a clean rounding rounding’s at the first mark and then settled down to a heavy multi tack slog to the weather mark. Ettrick was in her usual place with the fleet leaders but leeway in the breezy conditions wasn’t her or Sirocco’s friend. Avian had some action at the end of her boom which hurt her corrected time chances while Dingo was eating up the sea conditions like all Tums do in a stiff breeze.

At the weather mark the fleet had sorted themselves out into their handicap  groups. Kingurra was storming away with Frances by the time Mercedes III, Boambillee and Pastime II finally rounded the overstood  mark. Cyan, Fair Winds and Marie Louise III then rounded with Serifa impressively breaking clear of the final group of Classics.

The slightly sprung reach

Reaching down to the Beaconsfield Parade mark hard work by all crews was the task assigned to them as skippers threw their Classics around the transoms of the vessels ahead. Overtaking boat keep clear and lee boat hold their course rules were being pushed hard here. All the while, Kingurra and Frances were still moving further away from the fleet. Cyan with a fine pair of heels also broke clear of the lee of Marie Louise III to lead her three boat group around the bottom mark.

Across the spread out fleet, all Classic’s were being pushed hard while avoiding trouble, to bring themselves home on corrected time.

The second go round.

With a temporary drop in the breeze strength the fleet did a repeat  of the course but with less full on crew action and not much change in fleet placing. As we know fortune follows the brave.This time it was the last group of classics in the receiving end of a wind shift at the second rounding of the RMYS B Mark that had them gain big ground on Fair Winds and Marie Louise III.  This group led by Serifa with Martini, Bungoona and the Tums of Ettrick, Zephyr and Sirocco following certainly squashed up the fleet till the wind swung back as the next mark was approached. Didn’t matter, good ground was gained.

On the final beat and run to the line, no classic relaxed.  Frances found something extra and closed the cap to Kingurra while Cyan continued her fine form. Mercedes III held off Boambillee and Pastime II by decimals of a minute. Cyan then Fair Winds followed with Marie Louise III after them. Serifa came home next while one minute 20 seconds separated the next six line crossings. Close Classic racing across the fleet for sure.

Achievement of the day

The achievement of the day goes to Akuna. Chris Havre, our latest new member bought Akuna home in fine fashion after her first outing with a hard racing Classic fleet.  More will be seen of her.

Results

Thanks to the RMYS Race team lead by Alistair Hart and to the support from the crew on the RMYS William Patterson who stood by the fleet throughout the race.  A whamo publication of the results after the race back to the handicapper was the icing on the Classic’s racing cake for Race 6.

Next race Race 7 at Hobsons Bay Yacht Club.

News from West Australia

A call has been received from Les Valdmadre to inform us they have a Knud Reimers 22 square metre, Flame in trouble. She’s 60 % restored  but will soon be sent to the knackery. Les looks after the Classic yacht racing scene in Perth known as the Swan River Retro Racing.

Between Flame and Pastime II we have options for people to continue our Classic fleet’s connection to the Skerry Cruiser racing scene on Port Phillip.

Peter Macdonald will consider offers for Pastime II, as seen below, from the right skipper. A skipper that wants to be involved in Classic handicap and line honours racing, the Australian designed Skerry Cruiser Pastime II is the go. For those who want to bring back to life a world class Skerry Cruiser to mint condition Flame is the go.  The caption below shows the form of Pastimes II‘s sister ship Playtime ay he 1961 Royal Geelong Yacht club Regatta to show how well the Skerry Cruisers go. Also some fine words about Acrospire IV, Frances and Avian. Les Valmadre tells us Panamuna is over in Perth at the Royal Freshwater Yacht Club  Acrospire IV is at the Fremantle Yacht club under the care of CYAA Member Garry Gilmore

Marcus Halvorsen Obiturary

Results Page

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Race 6 Documentation

Attached are the Entries and Sailing Instructions for the 2015 Winter Series Race 6. The race will be conducted for the CYAA by the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron under the direction of Race Manager Alistair Hart. The race will begin at 10:30 am in the Port Phillip waters off the St. Kilda breakwater using an RMYS course as described in the attached Sailing Instructions. The course selection for the race will be announced on VHF Channel 73. The course number selected will also be displayed from the RMYS Race control tower.

Allocated handicaps.

There’s been some small changes between the Race 5 and Race 6 allocated handicaps to reflect the results of an almost no wind Race 5, and the expected 20 knot northerly for Race 6. The average change across the fleet is 0.01%. Not much but significant when corrected time placings are decided by 3 decimal points of a minute.  In addition to using the last 5 race BCH and CHC averages for handicap changes, Race 5 was rerun on paper to determine the handicap each finisher required to be to place equal Charlie Salters second on corrected time with Sirocco. Gordon Tait first on corrected time couldn’t be used as Ettricks outstanding Race 5 light wind performance  left the entire Classic fleet in the shade.

Predicted sea conditions

The predicted sea conditions for Race 6 is 15-20 knot northerly. Hopefully we don’t have the conditions similar to those being experienced today blow up again on Sunday.

First time with the Classics.

Sailing with us in Race 6 will be the first time appearance of Chris Havre, our latest member from RMYS with his Classic yacht Akuna, a 1940’s Charles G MacGregor design from the United States. Wooden Boat magazine has listed Charles G Macgregor in their archives as a recognised designer from the 30’s who was among the first to design boats with traditional construction methods whose hull was clad with Weldwood.  A product first available in the USA in 1940’s that used fir and spruce as the wood component with lots of epoxy to seal it all together.  Similar to the substrate used on Mercedes III. Charles MacGregor apparently worked on the Americans’ P.T Boat Programme and the development of Dynal and the first epoxies.

Akuna’s first owner was the founder and first Commodore of Port Hacking Ocean Yacht Club (1963) was Fred Teiffel. Chris tells the story of Akuna when out of the water her design was recognised by a passer by who then went and provided him with plans of the original Akuna design drawings by MacGregor .

Back with the Classic’s

One welcome Race 6 sight will be the return to Classic racing by Mark Chew’s Fairwinds. After undergoing a refit in preparation for her 60^th year after launching and after much ocean voyaging and racing Fairwinds will be in shakedown mode in preparation for some Pacific voyaging next year.

Classic’s crew member additions

Time to recognise some of our recently signed up new members. While we know the Classic Yacht racing enjoys a reputation as an important part of yachting in Port Phillip by all our members home yacht clubs this would not be the case without our crew members and supporters of the CYAA.

So congratulations for joining up go to:

Mal Botterill a master boat builder and friend of the Classic’s Mal in his spare time tells Roger Dundas what to do on the foredeck of Avian and put together one of the finest cruiser/racers on the RYCV register. UHURU

Janet Dean who advises Jim Hutchinson on his helming techniques on Dingo. Janet is the current Commodore of the RMYS and skippers her Adams 10, Jungle Juice, in RMYS club racing and does the foredeck work when Celia Dymond is on the helm for the Women on Water interclub racing series.

Geoff Thorn and Charlie Boyes play a leading role in all of Martini’s success’s in Classic racing. Responsibilities for performances on those otherwise days are left to the skippers, Ross Clark and Michael Williams. The entire Martini team are regulars at the after race discussion where the handicapper features.

Chris Lawrence is again with us and helping George Low bring his family heirloom Snow Goose back to Classic and Tumlaren Racing.

Dave Brodizak who’s Tumlaren heritage that goes back through family generations has now renewed that heritage with his crew work and assistance from Heidi Modra to help Ettrick stagger across the line, We wish.

New member for Queensland

Early June this year the Association welcomed our latest boat owner member from Queensland Tony Harland. His Classic, Skirmish, launched in 1969 is a fully splined Williams Custom 32, designed by Bluey Williams has been added to the CYAA register. Last November in the 38^th Manly Hotel St. Helena Cup she took out 1^st prize the Classic and Cruising divisions as well as the Trophy concours award for her magnificent restoration. Tony is also a member of the Wooden boat Association of Queensland.

A WBAQ story on his association with boats in general can be seen at http://www.woodenboat.org.au/images//Newsletters/Archive/14-10%20The%20Log%20OCTOBER%202014.pdf

A Classic Racing skipper of 1914, Vivian Parker

Attached is a story about one of the early notable yachting persons on Port Phillip. Vivian Parker. One of a series of stories as how Classic Racing Port Phillip was done in those days.

Vivian Parker _1

So come 10:30 am Sunday morning we live again.

Could be a fast race

Regards

Race 6 August 2 Sailing Instructions (RMYS) V1 28_07

Race 6 August 2 Entries and Handicaps (RMYS)_Revised

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Results, Series and ML III Consistency Aggregate Status

Attached are the results of Race 5 plus the 2015 Winter Series and Marie Louise III Consistency Aggregate Points Status.

With Melbourne recording an 0.6 C temperature at 7.30 am on Sunday 21 Classics with rugged up skippers and crew turned out for what became another memorable race. We should make that number 23 as Doug Jenkin was prevented from joining the fleet for engine starting problems on Bluejacket and Mark Chew was on site to finish off his refit to Fair Winds in prep for her 60^th year since launching.

The fleet also saw a welcome return to classic racing by Michael McTavish’s Serifa after her maintenance work over in the Royals yard.

Pre race workout

Although some wind was present to allow for an on time race start the Race committee held off to allow Trim with Phil Atkins bring of Avian and Sirrocco to the star line. Roger Dundas with Avian under tow by Cameron Dorroughs Bungoona saw Frances in greater need of a tow. Roger passed  to word to Cameron to put Bungoona’s 45 hp to work and bring Frances out to the line. Thank you Cameron. Unfortunately the Yarra outflow took Roger on a lonely mariner voyage. However with the help of Trim all sorted and 10:40 the race to drift across the line began.

Recall at the start

For the first time we had an individual recall, Ettrick through a slight time miscalculation was notified this feat of mental strength was also noticed by the race committee. No problems for Gordon Tait, after his restart he was back with Avian. Trim in a northerly beat slowly cleared out from the fleet while Sayonara with her topsail working was moving well in company with Kingurra.

The wind change

And then it happened. The wind backed to the South. Ettrick was ready with Dave Brodziak preparing for a kite launch while Boambillee also had her kite ready and set well it did to bring Boambillee up with the fleet.

First mark rounding

At the first mark although somewhat squashed the fleet rounded R4 cleanly and set themselves for the slightly sprung beat to RMYS G Mark.  Loama at this time was up with the leaders but was overshadowed and ended up well below the fleet inside Station Pier.

Another Classic sight was the scene of was the fleet heading off the next mark. Concentration was the word. And all over to the lee side. Easy for some like Martini with her 6 crew as she powered away from Marie Louise III. How that that be was the question put to the handicapper.

Decision to tack

So at the G Mark the question was to tack or not tack. While the wind was still around tack was the word for the fleet leaders but further back for those that were ghosting not so. Frances found out what happens when a no wind tack is made, it took sometime to begin moving again.

With the light wind conditions prevailing the race committee planned to finish the race at the RMYS G Mark this plan was changed when the fleet were seen to be all moving well so off they went to the RMYS C Mark

Sight of the day

One sight of the day was watching the duel between Kingurra and Ettrick. Ettrick, ¼ in sail area, kept the windward cover on Kingurra for some time until the laws of physics took over.

On the way to mark C

Jim Hutchinson had Dingo in the leader mix with Sayonara and Mercedes III over by Breakwater Pier while Avian and Boambillee took some early tacks to take the rhumb line course to Mark C.

Trim with Marie Louise III and Zephyr continued the shore line. Trim split off on a tack to avoid wind holes but ran into restart troubles. An example of how slight the breeze was to see Martini stop for a short time when working through some very small waves.

Along the shore Loama kept working well after marking up the extra ground after falling into the lee of Station Pier. Snow Goose followed Marie Louise III up the track to Mark C while Shamrock made a typical H28 Silhouette against the St. Kilda breakwater. Andy Indrans had Corio Vertue on her first race since her big make over was also holding up well  and raced well to stay in front of  Serifa, Tandanya and Bungoona all still moving well in the light conditions along the St Kilda foreshore.

Going for the shortened course finish line took foreverbut eventually Kingurra received the line honours with Boambillee caming home soon after followed by the well raced Ettrick.

The fleet following the first 3 finally made the line. Sayonara was saved by her topsail. She could barely move with a dead mail sail after a complete cover by Mercedes III.  Frances also had trouble making the line.

The similar situation of slowly making the line was right through the fleet but the race committee was confident all starters would finish and finish they did.

Results

The results showed tight corrected times across the majority of the fleet in spite of the light conditions. Congratulations go the Gordon Tait and Dave Brodziak for bring Ettrick home first on corrected time and same to Charlie Salter with Sirrocco and a special mention goes to Andy Indrans for his handling of Corio Vertue to come in third on corrected.

So all up a good day of classic Racing particularly after a cold start.

Thanks to the HBYC Race Committee for looking after the fleet.

The course used for the race is one that will be used for our Cup Regatta.

Next Race

Next race in two weeks time, August 2, at Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron.

Regards To all

Peter Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Handicapper

Results Page

 1,471 total views

Here we go.

Attached are the handicaps and Sailing Instructions for Race 5 of the Classic 2015 Winter Series.

The race will be conducted for us by the Hobsons Bay Yacht Club with Alister Hart directing. The HBYC race committee boat will be Privateer with the Shirley Freeman as the designated rescue boat. VHF Radio Channel 73 will be used for any race control announcements before and during the race. So keep those radios open.

Two changes have been made to the attached Sailing Instructions. First is the race time limit. The race finish time is 1:30pm. A blanket finish time does away with the need to try to figure out the time of day when the first finisher was over the line. Vessels that show and intend to but cannot start and those that start but don’t finish will be allocated race points based on the number of starters plus one point. Second change is the addition of two courses. These courses will provide the Race Director with multiple options to shorten course to allow all starters a fair chance to finish in light wind conditions.

Some small adjustments to the fleets handicaps have been made after analysis of the Race 4 pursuit race results. Not much, only small changes but enough to make that split second difference. Although Race 4 was a pursuit race the on course times of each finisher are extracted and used for a corrected time analysis. These corrected times are also used for the Marie Louise III Consistency trophy points. As a comment there’s very little difference between the Pursuit race over the line placings and the corrected time placings. The handicaps used to calculate these Race 4 corrected times were the same as those used to calculate the Pursuit race group start times.

We almost had Mark Chew’s Fair Winds back with us for this race.  Marks extra efforts to be with the Classic fleet this Sunday were undone by some new rig set up issues.

Damian Purcell reports the following Scimitar news.

Unfortunately we, Scimitar, won’t be a starter for a little while longer yet…but we are keen to get back to racing some time in the near future!  The works program continues with the restoration of the deck underway at the moment.  We have expert shipwright, Richard Blake working on the decks now, and we are very excited that they will better than they were when she was launched.  The deck is nearly 55 years old since laid and has done 28 years of service since launch.  It is time to give them a refresh.  We are reefing the caulking, and replacing this with modern product (not Tar beneath and Thiokol on top of that) and resetting all 2,500 screws and replugging the holes with new white beech plugs.  The beech is 1 inch thick on ply, and we will reduce some weight with some hard sanding.  We will also install a new windlass on the bow…

Below are some looking back going forward pics of Scimitars deck fastening replug project provided to us by Damian.

So after a 5 week break it’s all go.

The Classics are racing again. First on corrected time will receive the traditional slab of Tina of Melbourne’s bottled water courtesy of Andy Doolan.

Race results will be made available asap after the final finisher.

Cheers to all and best wishes to Kent Bacon and his efforts to resolve Renene’s engine transmission saga.

10:30 on Sunday is the go.

Peter Costolloe

CYAA (Vic) Handicapper

Race 5 July 19 Sailing Instructions (HBYC) V2 14 07

Race 5 July 19 Entries and Handicaps (HBYC)

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The Race 4 comments are in the attached PDF. Also attached are the across the line results along with the Series and Marie Louise III aggregate’s. For those interested the Race 4 results based on corrected and elapsed times are also attached.

Included in the attached PDF is a must read note for all skippers and crews of the Classics.It’s about the incident with the Bunker Barge Zemira and the Classic fleet at Mark 72. The after math of this incident is why the Race 4 notes mail out was delayed.

Winter Series Race 4 Post Race notes

Results Page

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Take a look at the attached PDF for Race 4 pre race info and some stories about recent events.

Pursuit June 21 Group Start Times

Pursuit Sailing Instructions (RYCV)

Race 4 pre race notes

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Attached are the results of Race 3 plus the Winter Series and the Marie Louise III consistency aggregate.

The results also appear on the Royals website at http://www.topyacht.net.au/results/rycv/2015/winter/index-classics-wint.htm

Decision to conduct the race.

With a Saturday based predictions for Port Phillip wind conditions expected to exceed the 25 knot limit, the CYAA Handicapper and RYCV Race Director decided to not make a race on or off decision till Sunday 7:30am. Sunday morning the on line weather data indicated a drop in wind strength for the morning. So out went the SMS to skippers and crews. The race is on.

Pre start action

With flat water and a consistent 15 knot breeze gusting to 20 or so knots, from north west to west a fleet of 16 classics showed up to race. Unfortunately Jim Hutchinson had to retire Dingo pre race when a new main halyard sheave broke.  Some anxious moments when a fleet of 15 or so Lasers doing some ISAF World Series race training appeared in the waters where the Classic’s were in pre race mode.

The start

At the start Kingurra did her usual on the button start at the favoured end and was well high of the fleet. Mercedes III took every lift on the beat to round the first mark ahead of Kingurra. Some saw the tide outflow after close calls with mark 21 and overshot the mark 81 to compensate for the rip. Some approaching the mark were caught on port by the outflow with nowhere to go. There were a number of Webb Dock construction caissons sticking out like deadheads adjacent to the mark. It was all go. Bungoona kept her good start and was in the fleet mix at the first mark. She and Cyan decided for themselves a port and starboard difference of opinion while approaching the top mark.

Top mark action

Unfortunately as Charlie Salter and Dave Allen shot Sirocco for mark 81 on a lift but a short knock hit them. Where an inch is good as a mile, Sirocco’s hull was clear of the mark but a wind gust pushed her over to allow her mast backstay to snag. A serious sad sight was the result. The outcome was a phone call from Jim Hutchinson of Dingo offering Charlie his spare mast from the sadly no longer racing Acklorean. Charlie has already put the sort out a solution task to Ferdy Darly.

Thanks from the Classic Fleet skippers and crews go to Boambillee who dropped sail immediately and stood by Sirocco.  An after race discussion between the fleet skippers resulted in a submission of a request for redress on behalf of Boambillee being accepted by the RYCV Race Director.  As only one race of the series has been run, we have to wait to the end of the series to award Boambillee her series average for her Race 3 points.

The race continues.

Zephyr continued to keep the benefits of her good start by running a shy kite holding on to 3rd in the fleet till they found a wind knock on the second beat. Ettrick made up ground on Avian with her shy kite flying. With Pip Todd back with us on a short visit from NZ,  provided the executive decision making assistance needed by Roger Dundas and Mal Botterill. Martini was sailing well to her handicap and stayed with the fleet the throughout the race.

The results

As shown with the results, The Classics, Cyan and Marie Louise III, finished first and second respectively in corrected time. There was lead changing several times battle during the race between this pair. Cyan would take a slight overlap of the mark for more power while Marie Louise III would tack and play the wind shifts. Analysis of Cyan’s bow wave by size and noise was the go on Marie Louise III. With faultless crew work, according to her crew, Cyan took out the trophy of the race. A slab of bottled water with the compliments of Andy Doolan and Tina of Melbourne.

The Cyan and Marie Louise III results show a difference of 11 seconds across the line with a corrected time difference of 8 seconds between this pair of classic’s.

There’s a similar 19 second elapsed and 40 second corrected time story between Avian and Martini and a 25 second corrected time story between Tandanya and Snow Goose.

Claire was sailed hard by Richard Macrae but with a rig, set through previous experience for the expected sea conditions, had trouble developing sail power. Sad sight to see Claire leave the fleet.

Results analysis

All up another day of Classic racing at its best. Looking over the results if the two first and last’s two are discarded,  tight corrected time results are still happening. Several classic skippers spoke a bit too freely to the handicapper after the race and admitted small but costly errors during the race.

Further analysis of the Race 3 results showed if the Race 2 handicaps were used, the only changes were an inversion to the corrected time placing 1 and 2 and between 8 and 9. Again by the smallest of margins. The order of Race 3 corrected time placing of the remaining fleet didn’t change with the application of the Race 2 handicaps. As well, the corrected times of each Classic Yacht had almost no variation between the Race 3/Race 2 handicaps. What the handicapper does with this knowledge will show in the next race.

Cowes 2016

The arrangements for our CYAA members attending the Cowes 2016 Classic Regatta have passed the good idea stage. Members who want to be part of this big and important promotion of the CYAA at Cowes in 2016 contact the Handicapper.

“I’m a member of the Classics”.

Our Secretary Anne Batson is ready to receive membership renewals for the year July 2015/2016. A Renewal form is attached. Our Classic Yacht racing action is a major reason for the Classic associations high credibility with all the yacht clubs on Port Phillip. A strong and consistent membership is necessary to back up this credibility. Renew.

CYAA Membership Renewal 2015-2016 (pdf)

CYAA Membership Renewal 2015-2016 (docx)

To those who aren’t yet Classic members. Join up. There’s nothing that will beat the phrase “I’m a member of the Classic’s”. Our Web site has the new membership form.

CYAA Magazine.

Bumper issue with lots of pics at the print ready stage. No sneak previews unless you’re a contributor. If your Classic yacht has a story to tell or you know of a Classic story that needs telling let the editor, Roger Dundas, know. Roger will give you details in what’s needed to bring the story to print in the CYAA magazine. Our magazine is considered a document of record and archived by State Libraries.

For those who wish a second read of recent issues take a look.

www.classic-yacht.asn.au/magazine/

Next race June 21

Big break between classic races. School holidays and the snow are also part of our classic life.

June 21, a pursuit from RYCV is the go. Rest easy, your handicapper won’t forget you over the break. New pencils are sharpened and at the ready. The Red will be heavily used.

Pics

Sorry no pics. Classic racing is full on. No time for looking around. A pic of the process used to free the main halyard on Ettrick would have safety people screaming. So not shown. Although not an SOS situation, by any means available was the rule in this situation.

Regards to all

Peter Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Handicapper

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Amended SI’s and start sheet are attached. The amendment is the name of the Club conducting the race.

Sailing Instructions (RYCV) V1 28 05

Entries and Handicaps (RYCV)

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